Some of my earliest memories of photography are tied to a smell. My grandfather developed photographs on the kitchen table of his home in Santa Cruz, California. Long before I understood exposure, film chemistry, or the mechanics of a darkroom, I knew the sharp chemical scent of developer and fixer. It drifted through the house and attached itself to those […]
ONE MONTH UNTIL ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK On August 18, I will begin my time as a 2026 Rocky Mountain National Park Artist-in-Residence. During the residency, I will bring together landscape photography, tactile art, audio description, and field recording to explore how the park can be experienced through sight, touch, and sound. The photographs I create will become the foundation […]
A friend of mine decided he was going to become a professional photographer. He did not begin cautiously, shooting portraits on weekends while keeping his regular income intact. There was no year-long transition plan, no patient effort to build a client base, and no period spent assisting an established photographer while learning how the business actually worked. He left a […]
Spend enough time around photographers and you’ll begin to notice a familiar pattern. The photographer who once couldn’t wait to get out and shoot starts spending more time researching gear than using it. A new lens arrives in the mail. A few weeks later, it’s a set of macro tubes. Then comes a flash modifier that promised beautiful soft light, […]
I’m honored to share that I’ve been selected as one of the 2026 Artists-in-Residence for Rocky Mountain National Park. The park’s current list names me in the program as Theodore “Ted” Tahquechi, Photography and 3D Tactile Prints, which feels both exciting and a little surreal in the best possible way. It is a big deal for any photographer to be […]
Every year, photography trends roll in like seasonal fashion, bold colors one moment, muted tones the next. One month, everyone is chasing moody neon; the next, they’re knee-deep in minimalist beige. If photography had a thrift store, last year’s “must-have” editing style would be sitting in a bargain bin, right next to those dusty Instagram filters we swore we’d never […]
Remember when “virtual happy hour” was the hottest thing in town? Well remote modeling sessions rode that same wave out of necessity back in early 2020, and they’re still bobbing along, for better and worse. My take might ruffle some feathers, but here it is: what started as a lifeline has morphed into a sometimes messy, often transactional circus. Grab […]
Ever had that moment when you nail your shot—whether it’s a crisp product photo, a gorgeous portrait, or a dreamy sunset—and then BAM, you open your files and notice a weird color cast? Ugh, right? Don’t worry, friend, a trusty gray card to the rescue! In this guide, we’ll walk through: Why a gray card is your color-balance BFF When […]
There’s no shortage of photography knowledge out there. From the countless tutorials on YouTube to detailed blog posts like the ones right here, you could spend a lifetime learning about aperture, shutter speed, and sensor sizes — all without ever stepping foot in a classroom. With so many free and low-cost resources available online, it’s fair to ask: does it […]
Photography, like almost every hobby, is expensive, and the camera lens and body you buy is only the beginning of the expenditure needed to enter and stay competitive in the photography game. If you are like me, and don’t have unlimited funds to spend on photography, it can be confusing to determine what will get you the biggest bang for […]
The Sacred Significance of Native Headdresses Let’s start with the basics: Native headdresses (like the Plains tribes’ war bonnets) are not just decorative hats – they are deeply spiritual and earned symbols of honor. In many Indigenous cultures, every feather in a headdress is earned through an act of bravery or leadership. These aren’t items you can buy at a […]
Let’s be honest—landscape photography is like fishing with a camera. You cast your tripod into the great unknown, baited with hope, and wait for nature to cooperate. Sometimes you catch gold. Other times, you get a sky so bland it looks like it called in sick. When I started my photographic journey, I fell hard for landscapes. There’s something deeply […]
Over the years, I’ve watched technology transform photography, graphic design, and other creative industries—and the latest wave of AI is simply breathtaking. When Change Rolls In Every business faces a turning point. Picture a scenic mountain pass near Denver: as you drive, the familiar landscape gives way to unexpected vistas. Similarly, when the market evolves—like AI stepping onto the stage—business […]
One of the most common questions I get is: “how do I choose the right lens for what I am shooting?” It seems like there are a million choices they are all in millimeters and they have f numbers attached to them. What the heck is the difference between a prime and variable aperture zoom/telephoto lens? Do I need a […]
Sometimes I feel like you should just not have to say that jumping into a lion enclosure to take a selfie is just not safe. Whether it is jumping into an animal cage or onto active train tracks to get that shot, it isn’t worth it to put yourself and others at risk. Even when you are absolutely sure that […]
TFP stands for Time for Prints (sometimes also referred to as Trade for Prints or Time for portfolio). In the world of photography, TFP represents a collaborative arrangement between a photographer and a model. Here’s what it entails: Definition TFP involves a mutual exchange where the photographer agrees to provide the model with a specified number of selected photographs from […]
A question I often get is how to protect your work as a photographer. Just like with everything, there are a million opinions, and most are uninformed or just flat out wrong. Perhaps the most common misconception about protecting your work is that if you say something is copyrighted, then you are safe if someone steals your work. Likewise, many […]
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